On our way out: Only a third of Britons now wish to stay in the EU

BRITONS are more than ever turning away from the EU with just one in three claiming they would vote to stay in the bloc, according to a poll.

David Cameron has pledged that he will offer the British public a referendum

Mr Cameron finally bowed to pressure last month and promised the country a referendum while strongly maintaining we should remain within the EU.

But with some 50 per cent of people saying they would vote for "out" if an in-out referendum was called tomorrow, the PM may have to rethink his strategy.

Just 33 per cent said they would vote for membership while 17 per cent would not vote either way, according to the poll by Harris Interactive for the FT.

Mr Cameron, has vowed that after the next election, he would renegotiate powers from the EU and only then give the public a vote.

I have no illusions about the scale of the task ahead

David Cameron

The move to hold a referendum is popular with the electorate, with 50 per cent supporting the decision and only 21 per cent opposing it.

The Prime Minister, who would campaign for an "in" vote, said he had "no illusions about the scale of the task ahead", a comment borne out by the poll of 2,114 adults, conducted between January 29 and February 6.

Tory backbenchers will welcome the news after campaigning long and hard and the stats will come as no surprise to UKIP leader Nigel Farage who has openly spoken out against membership.

The poll follows comments made by former PM John Major who backed the PM's plan for a referendum.

He claimed the move would 'revitalise' politics.

David Cameron is hoping to claw back powers from the EU which he hopes will serve to change the current climate of thought.

Twelve percent of those planning to vote to leave the EU said they would definitely change their minds if Cameron clawed back powers. Another 47 percent would "possibly" rethink their opposition.

Labour leader Ed Miliband, who is outwardly supporting membership is set to visit Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands this week to discuss Britain's EU ties.